8 choices that shaped my life…

It’s been 20 years since I entered my adult life as an engineering student. Reflecting on the various pivots I took, I distilled 8 choices that shaped my career and life.

Choice #1. Subject vs. College

As a young student embarking on an engineering career, I was faced with the choice of taking my preferred subject in Kerala’s best engineering college, CET or take a tail-end subject in IIT.

I chose subject over college though in hindsight, I would advise students to choose college unless you have a deep passion for the subject.

The upside was that I got to be a day scholar since my parents’ home was in the same city as my engineering college. I got to spend 4 additional years with my parents and build a deeper bond with them before I stepped into the corporate world that took me away from Kerala for good. The 4 college years I spent at home marked my transition from a teen to a young adult, a period when my relationship with parents transformed into a beautiful friendship.

Staying with your parents during your formative years help you appreciate their wit and wisdom.

Choice #2. Electronics vs. Computer Science

As a top ranked student in Kerala Engineering entrance, I had the privilege of choosing my stream. Toppers used to choose Electronics and I followed their path with limited understanding of what it would mean for my future.

In hindsight, I would advise students to choose computer science since coding is the most sought after skill in the tech led world we live in.

Fortunately for me, I was not the only one making a mindless stream choice. The best minds in the state decided to take Electronics. I got to study in a super talented batch of 60 students that would help add many layers to my personality. I developed a deep friendship with 3 of my project-mates with whom I built projects that won the National Student Award. My team and I travelled the length and breadth of Kerala to sweep puzzle solving and circuit designing competitions. My friends fuelled my ambition to get into and IIM and we backed each other to make it. Above all, my friends helped me overcome my fears and stretch my capabilities.

It is great if you have your oath carved out. Else it is ok to follow the herd until you discover your path.

Choice #3. Favourite vs. Underdog

In the first trimester at IIM, a professor asked us to form teams of 4. This was before we got to know each other well. Everyone wanted to hedge their bets and sought to collate diverse skills in their team. There was a mad scramble to find people with non-engineering background, work experience and ladies. Being a FEM (fresher-engineer-male) was a liability, not unlike the fate of 0001 in Squid Game. I was not comfortable picking favourites without knowing people. I waited for the drama to unfold and the 4 of us who were left over formed the team of underdogs.

The 3 fellow underdogs with whom I formed my first team became my best buddies. In a competitive environment where everyone prided themselves on being unique, we were happy to discover common ground on professional and personal fronts. Our shared values and sensibilities helped us open up to each other about our insecurities and aspirations. The professor’s social experiment set the stage for our friendship to blossom. The long walks, baddy sessions and trivial debates shared with my fellow underdogs made two years at IIMB special and memorable.

It is ok to be an underdog. Take off the weight of expectations and you may take flight.

Choice #4. Individual vs. Institution

In IIMs, students compete to be part of various clubs that interest them as it is considered to be a resume brownie point. I was specifically interested in the Placements Club since it represents the most hardworking club with the onerous job of interfacing with corporates to ensure 100% placement for students. After putting you through a few night outs to test your stamina and willingness to put in hard work, you are invited to an interview. I was given a situational question - student A had two offers and student B had no offers. Student B was shortlisted by one of the companies who preferred candidate was student A. I had to decide whether to present both offers to student A or share only one offer so that the other offer passes on to student B.

My decision was to present both offers to student A since she had earned the offers and had the right to choose even if it meant that student B was left with no offer. To me, the decision was simple as it was a matter of integrity. In the context of placements club who primary goal is to deliver 100% placements for students, this decision was incorrect.

My senior in placement club who relayed the result of the selection process told me while I was recommended as the most deserving candidate basis my work ethic, I failed on the value that you need to put the institution above the individual.

I landed up amongst the elite few who were not part of any clubs. I enjoyed the freedom to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the clubs while not having the responsibility of running the clubs. I took up many consulting projects for organisations who sought IIMB’s management expertise including one for the Government of Karnataka. As it turned out, I did the most impactful projects outside of my academic demands and this became our my calling card in IIM.

There us enough room to do great work outside the system if your values do not fit with the system.

Choice #5. Mumbai vs. Chennai

Growing up in Kerala, I belonged to the 10% students who chose Hindi as second language while others took the local language, Malayalam. I had lived in Kerala for 21 years until I joined IIM Bangalore where English was the de facto language for communication. My formal education and lack of exposure to spoken Hindi made me overconfident. KPMG recruited me during our summer internship placement at IIM and offered me the option of Chennai or Mumbai location. South Indian interns were usually placed in Chennai, a city I had stayed in and was familiar with. I expressed confidence in Hindi communication and KPMG promptly placed me in Mumbai.

As an intern on a meagre stipend, I got myself a shared accommodation and travelled by public transport like millions of middle-class executives in Mumbai. Communicating in Hindi was a challenge though it was nothing compared to the challenge of navigating crazy crowds while taking Mumbai local trains. I was overwhelmed by the sheer density of population in every nook and corner of Mumbai.

The upside was that Mumbai was KPMG’s headquarters in India and attracted the most ambitious high-flying consultants. I was enlisted in a challenging project under a demanding leader. The project offered me the opportunity to travel and meet many industry leaders to form a point of the view on an industry. This exposed me to the lace at which Mumbai runs and the unrelenting work ethic of Mumbaiites. People were always on the move and everyone had a mission to chase. The 2 months in Mumbai was a humbling experience and I fell in love with the city to the extent that I insisted on Mumbai posting when KPMG made a per-placement offer. I stayed in Mumbai for the first 4 years of my work-life and I owe my work ethic to the foundation I built in the city of dreams!

When faced with a choice between the known and unknown, it is natural to be biased but don’t let your fear dictate the decision. New experiences help you grow.

Choice #6. Growth vs. Freedom

In our first week at KPMG, we had an induction program for new joiners from all campuses across India. We did a number of case studies during this program under the watchful eyes of senior leaders who flew in from various offices to spot talent. I was spotted by a rising star, Big B. He was an exceptional performer with sky high expectations from his team. I was flattered when he offered me an opportunity to join his project. I was determined to prove myself and threw in everything I had to deliver results. Big B liked the effort I put in and told me that he saw a young version of himself in me. He explained how his career was fast-tracked by his mentor and painted a picture where I could be the youngest partner by following his lead and becoming his apprentice. In consulting, it was an established practice to move between leaders, sectors and solutions to develop range in early stage. I stuck with Big B and built a solid foundation. Then I parted ways to chart my own path.

I must admit that my choice slowed my ascent within the firm. However I got an opportunity to explore different sectors, solutions and leaders. Above all, I felt free and took advantage of the range consulting offers to discover my long term interests.

It’s better to chart your own path and pace your growth than grow fast in a path dictated by someone else.

Choice #7. MNC vs. Startup

I hit a learning plateau in my 7th year at KPMG. I had worked across 11 industries delivering projects in the entire spectrum of strategy and operations solutions managing teams of varying sizes. I felt restless to be in the thick of action and wanted to be in a line role. When I explored line roles in MNCs, they offered me strategy roles that acted as a bridge to line roles. I did not want to spend another 2 years doing strategy when my destination was clear. This is when an upstart, Flipkart reached out to me for a high impact line role. Though I was sceptical of joining a startup, the stellar team and their ambitious vision converted me.

Everyone told me I was making the biggest mistake of my career by leaving a top notch MNC for a startup. Back then, startups were not the in-thing they are today. My wife and my mentor backed me and I took a calculated risk. I went through a roller coaster ride at Flipkart and I had the privilege to build many pioneering capabilities to grow online commerce in India.

It is only in hindsight that you know that you were in the right place at the right time. You can only hope to be there if you take risks.

Choice #8. Wealth vs. Energy

In 2018, I was heading a $750M business at Flipkart that I played a pivotal role building. I had been promoted 3 times in 5 years in the firm. My equity in the organisation was at its peak. This is when I decided to quit the exciting tech startup to join a stable family-owned retailer, Landmark Group. It was a counter-intuitive decision which my well-wishes assured me I would regret. I had unvested stock options worth a 9 figure value that I would forfeit by leaving the firm. I knew that I would not be able to make up for the financial (opportunity) loss in the near term.

The untold story is that while I scaled professional peaks, my health and fitness slid downhill. I had let myself slip into a set of unsustainable habits of working long hours, not exercising, being addicted to my mobile business dashboards and sleeping less. These habits drained my personal energy and impacted my ability to meaningfully engage with my family and friends. The decision I made was not to leave Flipkart, but to reset my lifestyle. Flipkart was gracious to offer me alternative roles and recess though I felt a change of context would be the best way to start over. 3 years later, I am at the peak of my physical fitness, have boatload of personal energy and sleep like a baby.

The value of a good lifestyle cannot be quantified in monetary terms. A change of context is one way to reset your lifestyle.

I know that while I may change a few of these choices in retrospect, I made the best choice with the information I had in the given context. I acted on my hopes and not my fears while making the choices. I have no regrets as I have made the best of each choice.

Top CEOs admit that they get only 8 out of 10 decisions right. It is no surprise if we get 20% or more of our decisions wrong. Even the wrong choices come with a silver lining and it is on us to make the best of it.

A wise man once said, “Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you”. I would like to add that “It is what we make of the choices we make that shapes us”.